PETER HOUSTON last night told Dundee United fans they don’t need to worry about a basement battle.

The Arabs have now gone six league games without victory and sit second bottom after their 1-1 draw with Aberdeen.

But after seeing Niall McGinn’s goal deny them a first SPL win since August, Houston said: “We won’t be down at the bottom at the end of the season, I guarantee you that.

“Our players are too good and too honest. Games will come thick and fast and that helped us last season. Hopefully we can do every bit as well this season.

“I said when we won the first game against Hibs that we should be judged at the end of the season.”

Houston confessed that he spotted a threat from Aberdeen at corners and wanted to change how they defended them – only for the players to urge him to stick with the original plan.

And he admitted he regretted not switching his tactics after McGinn scored from a corner.

He said: “I wish in hindsight Jon Daly had gone into that area because he’d have attacked the ball better at their goal. But a draw was probably a fair result.”

Dons skipper Russell Anderson hailed McGinn’s impact as he completed a dream week with another goal. It was his fifth in five games for club and country following his strike for Nothern Ireland against Portugal in midweek.

And Ando said: “Niall is on fire just now. He’s on a streak and hopefully that can continue for a while yet.”